The dual equipment to identify telephone calls of the present invention is a terminal electronic device that meets the telephone company's specifications for the service of caller identification.
In the art, different device systems for the identification of telephone calls are known, such as the ones presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,260 related to a telephone system that includes a modem connected to a processor and to a data access arrangement to detect the "caller-ID". With the "caller-ID" information detected, a specific action is taken. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,289, a device is described to automatically control the "ring" signal of an input signal generated by the telephone company to a communication equipment (telephone) through a switch electronic device series-connected to the telephone line. Based on the detected information of the "caller-ID", it is decided if the "ring" signal is passed or not to the telephone or to the communication equipment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,411 relates to system to block the caller information in such a way that it is not registered by the "Caller-ID". The caller that does not wish to send his identification data sends a previous code to the number to which he wishes to call, and with this code, the central inhibits the identification information. In this way, the "called person" does not receive identification information of the "caller" and, knowing that the "caller" did not wish to be identified, can accept or refuse the call. U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,650 describes a system in which, upon detecting the "ring" signal, the sending through the telephone of any information during a given time "T" is prevented in such a way that if the "Caller-ID" information appears on the line, said information can be more readily received. U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,542 relates to a telephone service for call identification that keeps the privacy of the originary station ("caller") and offers useful information to the "called person" through the encryption of the information. U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,699 relates to a type of information display source. Then it establishes communication with another equipment (receiver) and sends information about the selected information display source. In this way, the transmission unit can be more adequately identified. U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,145 relates to a telephone with a "caller-ID" capacity that has also the capacity to give the information shown on a display, spelled or spoken. It also has other functions such as: to take certain measures upon the identification of a certain "caller" or even to communicate through an infrared light link with other equipments to exchange information. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,084 a system is described in which a first caller involved with a second caller receives information from a third caller that wishes to talk to him. The first caller knowing who the third caller is, decides whether he accepts the call or not.
As can be seen, the abovementioned US patents only mentions the capacity to identify the "caller" but not as the main feature of the invention. Thus no patents have been found that claim the call identification function as a characteristic of the invention, which is one of the objects of the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,385, a screen registration and call number system is described, in which call identification information is stored, said system includes a telephone call number when a personal call is not present and screen call identification information (CID) registrations, verbally to be repeated later. The system integrates the user's own telephone equipment with CID information, located on a telephone carrier by Central Office equipment. A terminal signal of personal call is used as trigger to disconnect an answering device of a telephone line and to place the decoded CID information which is processed by the logic control at the end of any message left by the caller.
Even though this invention includes a call identification registration, this equipment is related to an answering machine and a combination system which is not the object of the present invention.